Inforgraphic: A Visual History of Thanksgiving

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Thanksgiving is one of the biggest holidays of the year in the United States. It’s an opportunity to gather with family and friends to celebrate, give thanks, and even watch a little football.

The Thanksgiving holiday has an interesting history and several intriguing facts surrounding it. For example, did you know that the government officials tried to make Thanksgiving an official holiday in both 1630 and 1789, but that it didn’t catch on as a holiday until President Lincoln officially made it one in 1863?

Please take a look at the attached infographic that provides a great breakdown on the history of this holiday, including food consumption, parade attendance, and the real reason why we play so much football on Thanksgiving.

We hope that you have a fantastic Thanksgiving with friends and family.

thanksgiving_infographic

Halloween Safety Tips

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Halloween is one of children’s favorite holidays. The chance to dress up in a costume and fill bags with candy is a sure way to excite any youngster. For parents, though, the night can be a little stressful as you worry about your kids’ safety.

To help make sure the night stays safe and enjoyable for you and your children, we have put together a brief list of Halloween safety tips. We encourage you to take a look at it just in case there is a tip or two that will help you avoid any potential accidents or danger.

Trick-or-treating

  • Make sure your children take flashlights so they can avoid tripping over obstacles on the sidewalk or in yards. Flashlights and glow sticks will also help your children be seen by motorists.
  • If you allow your older kids to go out without your supervision, make sure they go out in a group. Don’t ever allow your kids to go out alone or even in pairs; make sure they go out with at least 3-4 other kids.
  • Map out their route so you know where they will be and when they should be home.
  • Tell your kids to only stop at familiar homes where you know the residents and where the outside lights are on.
  • Instruct your kids to WALK from house to house and NEVER run.
  • Make sure your kids know to never enter anyone’s home, to never accept rides from strangers, and to never take shortcuts through yards or other dimly lit areas.

Costumes:

  • Costumes should be light enough to be clearly visible to motorists. You may even want to add reflective tape to both your child’s costume and bag.
  • Make sure your child’s costume is labeled flame-resistant.
  • Costumes should be short to prevent trips and falls.
  • Try cosmetic face paint rather than a mask. Masks, especially on children, may not fit properly and can obstruct vision.
  • Be sure to remove all face paint that night to prevent skin irritation.

Candy

  • Don’t allow your child to eat any candy before you have a chance to inspect it for choking hazards or tampering.
  • Only permit your child to eat candy that is unopened in its original wrapper. Any homemade or unwrapped candy should be discarded.
  • A good way to prevent your kids from eating any candy before they get home is to make sure you give them a meal or snack right before they go out.
  • Above all else, limit the amount of candy your child eats after they get home or you will be dealing with one big stomachache.

Adults

  • Use additional caution when driving a vehicle. Lookout for children who might run into traffic from behind parked cars or other obstacles.
  • Turn on your porch and any other exterior lights to welcome trick-or-treaters to your home.
  • Remove any obstacles from your lawns, steps or porches that could be a tripping hazard for children or adults.
  • Keep all jack-o’-lanterns from doorsteps or steps where a child could brush by the flame with their costume.
  • If you keep your jack-o’-lantern inside, place it on a sturdy table away from curtains or other ignitable decorations and out of reach from children and pets.

4th of July Safety Tips

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Fireworks over Boston

Firework safety:

There are nearly 9,000 emergency room injuries associated with fireworks each year, and approximately 40 percent of those injuries involve children under the age of 15.  This is according to an annual study done by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Here are some guidelines to ensure firework safety on our Nation’s Birthday.

  • Never give fireworks to small children, and always follow the instructions on the packaging. (23 percent of reported injuries happen to children under age 5.)
  • Keep a bucket of water or a hose close-by as a precaution.
  • Please obey the local laws.  Do not use illegal fireworks.
  • Make sure the person lighting fireworks always wears eye protection.
  • Don’t alter or combine fireworks.
  • Light only one firework at a time and never attempt to relight “a dud.”
  • Store fireworks in a cool, dry place away from children and pets.
  • Never throw or point a firework toward people, animals, vehicles, structures or flammable materials.

Water safety at the pool and beach:

  • Never swim alone, especially if you are swimming in the ocean, a lake or a river.
  • Do not jump into water headfirst unless the area is clearly marked for diving.
  • Keep all safety equipment in plain view of the pool.
  • Remove all toys from the pool when not in use so that kids aren’t tempted to reach for them.
  • Teach children basic water safety tips including how to find the nearest wall and how to pull themselves out of the pool.
  • If a child is missing, check the pool first. Go to the edge of the pool and scan the entire pool-bottom and surface-as well as the surrounding pool area.

Safe Grilling:

  • Keep grills away from wood siding, deck rails, house eaves, or any other wood or combustible material.
  • Keep a fire extinguisher near the barbeque as they cause thousands of fires a year.
  • Follow all safety restrictions that come with the manual.
  • Keep your grill clean, as grease buildup can be a huge fire hazard.
  • Do not allow children or pets near the barbeque.
  • Never add charcoal starter fluid when coals have already been ignited.
  • Always supervise a barbecue grill when in use.

Additional Safety Resources:
http://www.fireworksafety.com/
http://kidshealth.org/parent/firstaid_safe/outdoor/fireworks.html
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/pet-care-tips/july-4th.aspx

Guide: 12 Time Management Tips & Tricks

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Screen shot 2013-04-03 at 1.10.56 PM

How many of us truly feel we manage our time exactly the way we want, maximize our productivity, aren’t influenced by distractions and are rarely interrupted?

For most of us the exact opposite is true, right?   It seems like projects continue to pile up on our desks, our inboxes continue to fill, and employees continue to come to us with “emergencies”.

By effectively managing our time, we can actually accomplish more quality work in a shorter amount of time.   Few of us, though, understand how to correctly manage our time.

To help you better manage your time, we put together a short eBook of the most effective habits entitled Top 12 Time Management Tips and Tricks.   In it you will find our favorite ideas to help you take control of your day.

To give you an idea of what the eBook entails, here are a few of the tips we discuss:

  • Conquering Interruptions
  • Efficient To-Do Lists
  • Managing Your Inbox
  • Effectively Prioritizing Your Day

To download a copy of the eBook, please click here.